Why is it attorneys general and not attorney generals?

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Why is it attorneys general and not attorney generals?

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11 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Because there are multiple attorneys, all of which are the general kind. We pluralize the attorney part, because it is the noun.

This seemingly odd pattern exists because we sometimes usually the adjective before the noun, but sometimes it comes after. In cases where the adjective comes first, it seems obvious:

* Blue pearls
* Cheese burgers
* Hot potatoes
* Colonel Sanders

In each of these, the noun — the person, place, or thing — comes after the adjective. But in some cases the adjective comes after the noun:

* Whoppers Junior
* Attorneys general
* Rights-of-way
* Mothers-in-law

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